True, but I thought the same about Meme St. Selfish and look where that got me!
He's a good guy and I not really sure he plans to leave Tampa bay. I pretty sure Yzerman has NO plans to move him or let him go.
- Artyukhin76

I think of it like this, if Stamkos doesn't resign by the start of the 2015-2016 season his intentions at that point would be known. If he publicly came out and said he wanted to play for him home town no one would hate him and at that point I think Yzerman would work with Toronto on some type of trade, I don't think Yzerman would make him play out his last year with no return but then again maybe he would if he knew they were close to the cup. What kills me is its so much speculation even though the Bolts can't even talk to him until a year from now.

I think the Bolts will do 8yr - 100MM (12.5MM cap hit) type of offer, crazy money right there.

I think of it like this, if Stamkos doesn't resign by the start of the 2015-2016 season his intentions at that point would be known. If he publicly came out and said he wanted to play for him home town no one would hate him and at that point I think Yzerman would work with Toronto on some type of trade, I don't think Yzerman would make him play out his last year with no return but then again maybe he would if he knew they were close to the cup. What kills me is its so much speculation even though the Bolts can't even talk to him until a year from now.

I think the Bolts will do 8yr - 100MM (12.5MM cap hit) type of offer, crazy money right there.
- stammerman

Give him whatever the (frank) he wants . Give him more and tell morrow to (frank) off and that he has to take a pay cut for more money for stamkos

I would rather be swept in the playoffs with our backup goalie Lindback than not making the playoffs.... wait a minute the Leafs did not make the playoffs... isn't that funny.
- stammerman

How does it feel We had just as many wins as you in the playoffs. And less losses.

How does it feel We had just as many wins as you in the playoffs. And less losses.
- JVR_42_PK81

How many playoff berths have you had in ten years?

How does it feel We had just as many wins as you in the playoffs. And less losses.
- JVR_42_PK81

I sincerely congratulate you and your team to 4 playoff losses the last 10 years. And as it looks right now, I actually think you can lower that number during the next 10.

I'm not sure how he would handle that blow to his confidence.
- Artyukhin76

If he, as a 21 year old forward who is waiver exempt, can't handle starting the season in the minors, he's not likely the kind of guy I'd want to have around.

How does it feel We had just as many wins as you in the playoffs. And less losses.
- JVR_42_PK81

I actually didn't mind your posts on this thread till this one and I shouldn't respond to this but I will. With hindsight I can see where you say this and actually think you believe it doesn't affect you. Before the playoffs started you like everyone wanted your team in the playoffs but that did not happen, the fact remains that our team did make it so yes I would rather that happen. Take hindsight out and go back to the final 20 games of the season where the Leafs tanked themselves out of the playoffs and the Bolts fought thru, I bet you would have liked that scenario to be reversed. I will take what happened to the Bolts this year over what happened with the Leafs everytime.

How does it feel We had just as many wins as you in the playoffs. And less losses.
- JVR_42_PK81

I see what you did there.

I see what you did there.
- GalacticStone

I see what he did there , too. He turned on the douchebag switch

How does it feel We had just as many wins as you in the playoffs. And less losses.
- JVR_42_PK81

No you didn't have just as many wins as us " in the playoffs " because your poopty team never made the playoffs .. Straight up

No you didn't have just as many wins as us " in the playoffs " because your poopty team never made the playoffs .. Straight up
- RileyB77

Dude, you pretty much just reinforced the premise of the guys entire comment.

The underlying tone was that the Leafs didn't even NEED to make the playoffs in order to match the total wins the Lightning tallied. Which was ZERO.

No you didn't have just as many wins as us " in the playoffs " because your poopty team never made the playoffs .. Straight up
- RileyB77

This is an interesting take on things.

This is an interesting take on things.
- Michael_Stuart

HB troll logic is undeniable, Mike.

Give him whatever the (frank) he wants . Give him more and tell morrow to (frank) off and that he has to take a pay cut for more money for stamkos
- RileyB77

12 will be fine with stamkos and he would take it! that's crosby money right there

If he, as a 21 year old forward who is waiver exempt, can't handle starting the season in the minors, he's not likely the kind of guy I'd want to have around.
- Michael_Stuart

kucherov will be back up sooner or later someone will get hurt always happens

My mistake. I meant Brown/Panik. I think Kucherov starts the season in the minors.
- Michael_Stuart

If you start Kucherov in the minors who do you have as the 13th forward with the big club assuming they will keep 8 dman up based on contracts.

I say Kucherov has shown more in his brief time with the Bolt more then Connolly every has. I understand he has waiver exempt status and is really the only one who has it expected to make the big club but if he is good enough to play he stays, I think he is good enough to stay.

#freestamkos

If you start Kucherov in the minors who do you have as the 13th forward with the big club assuming they will keep 8 dman up based on contracts.

I say Kucherov has shown more in his brief time with the Bolt more then Connolly every has. I understand he has waiver exempt status and is really the only one who has it expected to make the big club but if he is good enough to play he stays, I think he is good enough to stay.
- stammerman

Connolly deserves a shot at the NHL roster based on his AHL play. If he doesn't make the most of that opportunity, move on and bring up Kucherov.

Connolly deserves a shot at the NHL roster based on his AHL play. If he doesn't make the most of that opportunity, move on and bring up Kucherov.
- Michael_Stuart

Deserves a REAL shot

frankly everyone need to just stfu on the whole stamkos situation until one of a couple things happen. A. he openly admits to wanting to join the leafs as UFA and has no intention of resigning in tampa, in that case yzerman would likely work for a trade, although he would essentially loose all leverage because the leafs could get him for nothing 2 yrs later. or B. we get to the start of the 2015-16 season and stamkos hasn't signed a new contract or stated that a new contract with the lightning is imminent.

we won't truly know stamkos's intentions until one of those two things happen. i'm going to be really curious next offseason to see how yzerman treats the situation if for whatever reason stamkos doesn't want to resign, and if so what could he trade him for, cause i guarantee you he won't let stamkos walk for nothing (if it comes to that).

People it's does he have balls to play in Toronto the richest team in the NHL the only NHL team in Forbes top 50 at 26 and the Leafs alone are valued at over a billion dollars. The Leafs would offer him top money with max term and the sponsorship he'd get would be more than the entire payroll of the Bolts.

His family his culture his friends and does he want to be the guy. Most of us would kill for that opportunity.

It would be great for hockey if I'm Yserman I'd look to move him now so he could get max value today in less than 24 months he could end up with nothing.